EP2945032B1 - Method for determining the switching times and/or the heating characteristic curve of a heating system - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for determining the switching times of a night reduction and / or the night shutdown and / or the heating curve characteristic of a heating system.

It is known in the prior art that the flow temperature of heating systems is usually controlled by outside temperature. As a rule, this means that the lower the outside temperature, the higher the flow temperature. This compensates for the fact that the heat losses of a building are greater with lower outside temperatures. This dependency between the flow temperature and the outside temperature is usually further determined by means of a characteristic curve which is used in the heating system, e.g. is stored in the controller. This characteristic is also known as the heating curve.

A distinction is often made between at least two, possibly three operating modes, namely normal operation and lowering operation, usually during the night and / or a shutdown operation, likewise usually during the night. In reduced operation, the flow temperature is reduced compared to normal operation, but the basic dependency on the heating curve or the characteristic curve is retained. As a rule, in the case of a lowering operation compared to normal operation, only the level of the heating curve or the characteristic curve is changed, in particular reduced, for example by a parallel shift. Likewise, the slope can be changed in the lowering mode, in particular by a lower value.

In the shutdown mode, on the other hand, the boiler is switched off completely, the characteristic curve thus has a ZERO slope. Between these at least two, possibly three operating modes, it is normally switched at certain times, the switching times, which is done automatically by programming in the heating system.

Nowadays, there is an increasing demand to test heating systems energetically and to optimize them depending on a test result, possibly even to replace them with completely new heating systems.

In the course of such a check, it is necessary to have information on how the heating operation of a heating system works, in particular at which switching times the switchover between the possible operating modes takes place and which of the operating modes mentioned are concerned. Furthermore, information about the specific characteristics of the heating system in the various operating modes is desirable.

Although some of the more modern heating systems provide interfaces for reading data from the heating system, such interfaces are often designed to be manufacturer-specific, so that third-party providers do not have access to the switching time and operating mode data stored in the heating system. A standardization of such interfaces is currently not in sight. Such a procedure is from the document EP 2 214 071 known.

Older systems often do not even offer such interfaces and at least the slope of the characteristic curve cannot be read, or at best only qualitatively, in such systems.

It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a method by means of which, independent of the hardware installed on a heating system, there is the possibility of changing the heating system with regard to the switching times between the To analyze operating modes, if necessary also to analyze the operating modes themselves, in particular to determine the characteristics of the operating modes.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to be able to carry out this analysis without any intervention in the heating system, so that carrying out the analysis itself does not influence the operating behavior or a manufacturer's guarantee for the heating system.

The object of the invention is achieved in that for several points in time of each of several measuring days, pairs of values are formed from the flow temperature of at least one heating circuit of the heating system at the time and outside temperature at the location of the heating system property and the time interval of one day of 24 hours in several , successive time boxes is subdivided, and each value pair is assigned to the time box in which the time of the value pair lies and for each of the time boxes a mathematical model is formed for the measured value pairs assigned therein, which describes the dependence of the flow temperature on the outside temperature in this time box ,

The essence of the invention is based on the fact that by simply observing the heating system with regard to its behavior, setting the flow temperature as a function of the outside temperature, information about the switching times between the operating modes and, if necessary, also about the heating curves or characteristic curves of these operating modes can be obtained.

For this purpose, the invention makes use of the measure of forming measured value pairs of temporally correlating flow temperature and outside temperature, ie such measured value pairs are formed for several times of a day. This is done for all days of the measurement period, e.g. over all days of a month or over 30 days, possibly even longer.

The pairs of measured values that belong to those points in time that lie in the time interval of one of the time boxes formed are assigned to this relevant time box. For example, A total of 24 time boxes of one hour each can be created over the 24 hours of a day. A point in time can e.g. represent a time, whereby a time box can each correspond to a time interval.

For example, all measured value pairs that were recorded at times between 00:00 and 1:00 are then assigned to the first time box, which includes this time interval from 00:00 to 1.00. All measured value pairs that were recorded at times between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. are assigned to the second time box of this interval and so on. Of course, the interval widths of the time boxes can basically be chosen arbitrarily. The interval width of one hour mentioned here is only a non-binding example.

Within the scope of the invention, there is no imperative to record the measured values of the flow temperature and outside temperature at the same time, although this is possible and then the respective pair of measured values is assigned the same point in time as the same points in time of the individual measured values. Rather, the values of flow temperature and outside temperature can each have their own and therefore different times of detection or measurement or other access.

A common point in time can then be formed for a pair of measured values to be formed, for example depending on one or both individual points in time of the two measured values flowing into the pair of measured values. The point in time for a pair of measured values can be formed, for example, by a mathematical calculation rule from the points in time of both values for the flow temperature and outside temperature.

It can generally be provided that those values of flow temperature and outside temperature are combined into a pair of values whose respective times are the same or differ only to a specified tolerance value. This ensures that, particularly when the two temperature values are not recorded or determined simultaneously, these two values flowing into a pair of measured values are at least sufficiently close in time.

The invention can also provide that the values of flow temperature and outside temperature are recorded or made accessible not only at different times, but also repeatedly, in particular periodically repeating at different time intervals.

Thus, the measured values for the flow temperature on each of the measuring days at a repeating interval of a first period of time and the measured values of the outside temperature at each of the measuring days at a repeating interval of a second period of time can be recorded or made accessible or ascertained. The first and second time periods can be the same, in particular the measurements / acquisitions can then also be simultaneous, but do not have to.

A preferred embodiment can provide that the first and second time periods are chosen to be shorter than the time duration of the time boxes. This ensures that at least one pair of measured values from the flow temperature and outside temperature is assigned to a respective time box per measurement day. In order to enable sufficiently precise modeling, e.g. it should be provided that the first and second time periods are each at least 5 times, preferably at least 10 times smaller than the time interval width of each time box. Accordingly, at least 5, preferably at least 10 value pairs are assigned to a respective time box per measurement day.

Each pair of measured values can have a point in time, depending on which the assignment to the time box can take place, in particular, as explained above in the meaning of a time. This point in time of the pair of measured values can correspond to one of the points in time of at least one of the two measured values, and possibly also be newly formed entirely from the points in time of one or both points in time of the measured values.

A point in time is preferably understood to mean the time at which the measured value pair or each of the measured values is valid, or was recorded, determined or accessible. The time can e.g. represent a specific time of the day, which is stored together with a respective measured value or a formed pair of measured values, or is known at least when the measured values are assigned to a pair or when the pair of measured values is assigned to the time box.

For example, it can be provided that in the case of different first and second time periods of the detection or determination of the flow temperature and outside temperature, a plurality of measured values with times of the shorter time period are converted into one measured value with a time corresponding to the longer time period, in particular by averaging.

For example, it can be provided to measure and record the flow temperature every 5 minutes and the outside temperature only once every hour. In this case, a total of 12 flow temperature measurement values can be averaged to form a new flow temperature measurement value, which then correlates with the one hour interval at the longer-spaced times. Thus, a flow temperature measurement for times of one hour interval has been calculated from 12 individual flow temperature measurements for times of 5 minutes interval. For a time interval of 1 hour, a pair of measured values from the flow temperature and outside temperature can be formed with a time on a 1-hour basis and this pair can be assigned to exactly one time box, although the individual measured values that form the pair differ time intervals were recorded.

In this example, each time box receives exactly one assigned pair of measured values per day, so that after e.g. 30 days of total measurement time, each time box contains exactly 30 assigned pairs of measured values, on the basis of which the model is formed. If the duration of the first and second duration is chosen differently, more measured value pairs per day can also be assigned to a respective time box.

It will preferably be provided to record the flow temperature at a repeating interval of a shorter first time period than is the case at the outside temperature, which is then repeated at a comparatively longer second time period. This takes into account the fact that the outside temperature usually has no short-term fluctuations, whereas the flow temperature at e.g. clocked operation of a heating system can have such fluctuations and such fluctuations can be eliminated e.g. by converting several measured values of the flow temperature with a shorter time interval to e.g. averaged flow temperature measured value with a converted time interval which corresponds to the interval of the second time period with which the outside temperature is recorded.

In general, the measured values that were recorded with a smaller time interval can thus be converted into a measurement value that is to be regarded as being recorded with a larger time interval.

Conversely, there is basically also the possibility that with different first and second time periods between the respective recordings / determinations of the flow temperature and the outside temperature, several values from those values that are recorded with the longer time duration are converted to several values with a new time in each case and the intervals of the times of the converted values correspond to the intervals with which the values are recorded with the shorter duration. This can be done, for example, by an interpolation, according to which Intermediate values between two values measured specifically at a greater distance can be calculated, for example by assuming that the values change linearly between the specifically measured / recorded values. The interpolated values are then also assigned calculated points in time between the specific points in time of the acquisition / determination.

Since, according to the invention, a mathematical model is now formed for each time box on the basis of the pairs of measured values assigned therein, which describes the dependency of the flow temperature on the outside temperature in the time box in question, there is the possibility of a time resolution of the time box interval width switching times between different operating modes determine.

If - apart from measurement inaccuracies - the models determined in two consecutive time boxes differ, it can be seen that different operating modes prevailed in the time boxes and accordingly the operating modes were switched in or between the successive time boxes.

The invention can provide here that a model, in particular a linear model, is parameterized for each time box and, depending on at least one parameter of the model, in particular a parameter describing the slope of the model, that a switching time is present in or before a time box. The modeling can generally provide that this always takes place according to the same mathematical rule, for example a linear regression and, in order to adapt the model to the measured values, at least one parameter of the model, as a rule several parameters are adapted so that the model formed is as accurate as possible the actual dependency (within the scope of mathematical error limits). Different models formed differ, for example, only by their respective parameterization.

If there is thus reduced operation in a time box, the slope of the model determined for this time box will be smaller than in a time box with normal operation of the heating system. On the other hand, a slope of zero or close to zero will be determined in the time box with operation switched off. It is therefore possible here to infer the existence of a switching time in or between two time boxes on the basis of a single parameter of a model formed.

An embodiment of the invention can also provide that at least one parameter of the model is graphically visualized depending on the time box, in particular its order number. This can be done by a data processing system on which the above-described processing of the method takes place programmatically, e.g. on a central evaluation unit of a service provider, which is arranged externally from the property of the heating system. The measured values of flow temperature and / or outside temperature can be transferred to this central evaluation unit, in one possible version e.g. through telecommunications over at least one network. Flow temperature and outside temperature can e.g. are transmitted to the central evaluation unit via various telecommunication networks, in particular if both temperature values are not measured simultaneously by temperature sensors at the location of the heating system property.

The invention can provide that the flow temperature is recorded by means of a temperature sensor on at least one heating circuit of the heating system and the flow temperature measured values are stored by means of a data logger, in particular at the location of the heating system in connection with a respective time (e.g. time or continuous counter) of the measurement.

Each individual temperature measurement value can be transmitted to the evaluation unit together with its time via telecommunications, or else Groups of measured values and times or even after the end of a measurement period of, for example, several days, all measured values and their respective times at once. Here, the multiple measured values and times for the flow temperature can be transmitted to the central evaluation unit, for example via a telecommunications network, for example GSM, UMTS, LTE, etc.

Alternatively, the aforementioned data logger can also be manually removed from the property and the data can be transferred from it to the evaluation unit by directly connecting the evaluation unit to its interface or by remote data transmission by means of telecommunications.

The central evaluation unit can be used to assign measured value pairs and times of the flow temperature in connection with the outside temperatures, which are also transmitted to the evaluation unit, and their times, if necessary, by adjusting the time bases or the times when the two were recorded Measured value types by converting one of the two measured value types to the time base or the distance between the times of the other measured value type.

The detection of the outside temperatures can e.g. take place by means of a temperature sensor at the location of the heating system property, the outside temperature values being stored by means of a data logger, in particular at the location of the heating system in connection with a respective point in time, essentially as described for the flow temperatures. If necessary. the same data logger can be used, especially with simultaneous recording. With simultaneous acquisition with the same data logger, this can immediately form the measured value pairs with a respectively assigned time.

However, the outside temperatures do not necessarily have to be recorded directly at the location of the heating system using specially designed sensors.

The invention can also provide that the outside temperatures are determined by means of a temperature sensor of a weather station, in particular a weather station that is publicly accessible via a telecommunications network, at the location or in the vicinity of the location of the heating system property, and the outside temperature values are stored in connection with a point in time, in particular in a central evaluation unit. For example, the evaluation unit can query this weather station via a telecommunications network in order to determine the outside temperature at each time of the query and to save it with the time. In this embodiment in particular, the two temperature values can be transmitted to the evaluation unit through different networks.

Another embodiment can also provide that the outside temperature is calculated by means of a weather model depending on the location of the heating system property and the outside temperature values are stored in connection with a point in time, in particular in a central evaluation unit. Here the calculation can be calculated directly in the evaluation unit or decentrally in an external server.

Yet another embodiment can provide that outside temperature measured values for the location of the heating system property are read out from a meteorological database, in particular by means of a telecommunications network, in conjunction with a time as the time. For example, such a database can be made publicly available for query by a third party.

According to the invention, it does not matter in what way the central evaluation unit receives information about the outside temperature at the location of the heating system.

In addition to determining the switching times of the analyzed heating system, the invention can also directly determine the characteristic curves or heating curves of the heating system for the various operating modes. This is essentially for everyone Time box takes place through the model formation. It can be provided here that each model formed is categorized by comparing the model with one another or their parameters, for example into a model for normal operation, a model for lowering operation and / or a model for shutdown operation.

All equally categorized models can be used to form an overall model for the operating category under consideration from these or their respective parameters. For example, the values of the slope parameters can be averaged for all models of the same category in a linear model. In this way, a single model can be determined for each operating mode that describes the heating curve or the characteristic curve of the heating system.

An embodiment of the invention is explained below using an example.

The Figure 1 shows for understanding the dependence of the flow temperature on the outside temperature using two exemplary heating curve characteristics. The characteristic curve 1 describes an operating mode for the day and the characteristic curve 2 a lowered operating mode for the night. In the area of low temperatures, the dependencies can each describe a plateau and, based on this, a monotonously falling characteristic in the area of rising outside temperatures. The heating system automatically switches between these operating modes, e.g. there can be a night reduction between 00:00 and 6:00 in the morning.

According to the invention, both the flow temperature and the outside temperature at the location of the heating system property are determined several times over a day, as described in the previous part, at the flow temperature e.g. by concrete measurement using a temperature sensor on one of the heating circuits and with regard to the outside temperature e.g. by querying from a weather database.

A pair of measured values is formed from two values in each case and is valid at a specific time on the measurement day. The multitude of Measured value pairs is in the Figure 2 exemplarily visualized without depicting the dependency on the time of validity, or acquisition / determination. All measured value pairs of this total set of measured value pairs are each individually assigned to a time box, as is Figure 3 visualized. Accordingly, after completion of all assignments, each time box includes those measured value pairs from all measurement days that have a point in time that lies within the time interval of the time box. In this example, 24 numbered time boxes are formed, each with an hourly interval width. Each time box includes, for example, those measured value pairs with a time between two full hours of the time on all measurement days.

For each time box, here for a total of 24 time boxes, a mathematical model is formed on the basis of the measured value pairs assigned therein, which describes the interdependency of the measured values in the respective time box. Such a model can be formed, for example, by linear regression. The first time box and the model 3 formed for its measured values is in the Figure 4 shown. The model 3 formed is given by the solid line 3. This line has an incline which, for example, represents a typical parameter for the model, by means of which the models can be distinguished.

The Figure 5 shows the slope parameter of each model plotted in the X-axis against the order number of the time box. The order number corresponds to the number of the one-hour interval of each time box, so that the slope parameters are effectively plotted against the time of day.

It can be seen here that the increases in the time from 0:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. are smaller in magnitude than the increases in the other times, so that it can be seen from this illustration that the heating system under consideration has a subsequent reduction during this time from 0:00 to 6:00. The respective heating curve of normal operation and reduced operation is additionally specified by the respective slopes. Using this information, a heating system can be analyzed and optimized if necessary.

Claims (14)

1. Method for determining the switching times of a night-time reduction/night-time shut-off and/or the heating characteristic curve of a heating system, characterized in that

   a. for a plurality of times of each of a plurality of measurement days, pairs of values of the flow temperature of at least one heating circuit of the heating system, which is present at the time, and of the outside temperature at the location of the property of the heating system are formed, and

   b. the temporal interval of one day of 24 hours is subdivided into a plurality of successive time boxes and each pair of values is assigned to that time box in which the time of the pair of values is located, and

   c. a mathematical model is formed for each of the time boxes for the assigned pairs of measured values therein, which mathematical model describes the dependence of the flow temperature on the outside temperature in this time box.
2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the temporal interval of one day is subdivided into time boxes of equal length.
3. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the time boxes are numbered consecutively with an ordinal number.
4. Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the temporal interval of one day is subdivided into 24 time boxes of an interval length of one hour each.
5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a model, in particular a linear model, is parameterized for each time box and the presence of a switching time in or before a time box is inferred on the basis of at least one parameter of the model, in particular a parameter describing the gradient of the model.
6. Method according to Claim 5, characterized in that at least one parameter of the model is graphically visualized on the basis of the time box, in particular an ordinal number of the time box.
7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flow temperature in at least one heating circuit of the heating system is measured several times for each measurement day in a periodically repetitive manner at the interval of a first period and is stored together with an item of time information relating to the measurement.
8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outside temperature at the location of the property of the heating system is captured several times for each measurement day in a periodically repetitive manner at the interval of a second period and is stored together with an item of time information.
9. Method according to either of the preceding Claims 7 and 8, characterized in that the first and second periods are selected to be shorter than the temporal duration of the time boxes into which each measurement day is divided.
10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in the case of different first and second periods for which the flow temperature and the outside temperature are captured, a plurality of values of those values which are captured with the shorter temporal duration are converted in each case to a value with a new time, and the intervals of the times of the converted values correspond to those intervals at which the values are captured with the longer period.
11. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that those values of the flow temperature and outside temperature whose respective times are the same or differ only up to a stipulated tolerance value are combined to form a pair of values.
12. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flow temperature is captured by means of a temperature sensor in at least one heating circuit of the heating system and the flow temperature measured values are stored by means of a data logger, in particular at the location of the heating system, in conjunction with an item of time information relating to the respective capture.
13. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the measured values and time information relating to the flow temperature and/or the outside temperature are transmitted by means of at least one telecommunication network to a central evaluation unit, in particular which is used to assign the measured values to pairs of measured values and to assign pairs of measured values to the time boxes and to parameterize a model for the pairs of measured values of each time box.
14. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outside temperature is captured

    a. by means of a temperature sensor at the location of the property of the heating system, and the outside temperature values are stored by means of a data logger, in particular at the location of the heating system, in conjunction with an item of time information relating to the respective capture, or

    b. by means of a temperature sensor in a weather station, in particular a weather station which is publicly accessible via a telecommunication network at the location or in the vicinity of the location of the property of the heating system, and the outside temperature values are stored in conjunction with an item of time information relating to the respective capture, in particular in a central evaluation unit, or

    c. by calculating a local outside temperature by means of a mathematical weather model on the basis of the location of the property of the heating system, and the outside temperature values are stored in conjunction with an item of time information relating to the respective calculation, in particular in a central evaluation unit, or

    d. by reading an outside temperature value belonging to the location of the property of the heating system, in conjunction with an item of time information, from a meteorological database, in particular by means of a telecommunication network.

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